COMMON
American Cancer-root
This fleshy plant lacks chlorophyll. It
draws nourishment from the roots of oak
trees. Scaly, tan stalks emerge from the
soil, followed by yellow flowers between
the pointed scales.
Celandine Poppy
This flower’s four round
petals and pair of deeply
lobed, fuzzy leaves are
easily recognized. It is also
referred to as the wood poppy.
Bristly Buttercup
There are several species. All have
glossy, yellow petals. The leaves
alternate along the stem and are
usually divided into three parts.
Flowers grow singly. Buttercups
are mostly found in moist places.
Yellow Wood Sorrel
This low-growing plant has clover-like
leaves that close at dusk and open
in the morning. Its Latin name,
Oxalis, refers to the sour taste of
all of its parts. The flowers have
five spreading petals.
Pink-Red PINK-RED
Prairie Trillium
Trillium comes from a Latin
word meaning three. The
flower is sessile, which means
it does not have a stalk, but
rests above the leaves. The sepals
droop down below the leaves.
Fire Pink
The deep-scarlet petals are easy
to see in open woods or on rocky
slopes. The notched petals show
that this flower is in the Pink
family. The carnation is probably
the most recognized “relative.”
Wild Geranium
This five-petaled forest flower first
opens in early May. The name
Geranium means “crane” and
re-fers to the long-pointed shape
of the seed case that looks like a
crane’s bill.
Wild Columbine
The unique orange and yellow
flowers, each with five petals
ending in a long spur, hang from
individual stalks. Hummingbirds,
moths and butterflies pollinate
this plant. It is found on rocky
slopes and cliffs.
Blue-Violet BLUE-VIOLET
Common Blue Violet
Violet leaves can be used as cooked
greens or in salads. They contain
large amounts of vitamins A and
C. Other species may be white or
yellow.
Spring Larkspur
The spring or dwarf larkspur grows
to 4-24 inches tall. The flowers are
usually a deep-violet color but are
sometimes all white.
Spiderwort
A cluster of violet flowers with Spring
three roundish petals and long,
narrow, grass-like leaves makes Wildflowers
this plant easy to recognize. It is of INDIANA STATE PARKS
found along wood edges, thickets
and roadsides, and is cultivated in
gardens.
Virginia Bluebells
The loose cluster of tubular, bell-
like flowers makes this an easy
plant to identify. Pink buds contrast
with the blue flowers.
Bluets
These are small, delicate pale-blue
flowers with yellow centers that grow
in large patches beneath mature trees.
They are also known as Quaker ladies.
Virginia Waterleaf
The name “waterleaf” comes
from the spotted appearance of
the leaves, where it looks as if
water were spilled. The flowers
appear hairy because the stamens
protrude from each cluster.
Blue Phlox
The pale violet flowers of this plant Fire Pink
radiate from the top of the stem,
which appears somewhat hairy and
sticky. The blue phlox is well known for
its color and fragrance.
The mission of the Interpretive Services is to provide in-
formation and offer interpretive experiences with Indiana’s
natural and cultural resources to visitors, staff and a di-
verse public. Indiana Deptartment of Natural Resources
Thanks to Bill Adams for his assistance with this Division of State Parks
brochure. Wildflower drawings by Rosemary Bauman. interpretiveservices.IN.gov
10/2017
From late March through May, spring wild-
flowers carpet the woodlands of Indiana
State Parks properties. A walk can bring
extraordinary joy as these sentinels of a new
season bloom. A good wildflower guide will
help you discover rare species in addition to
the common ones listed. Remember that all
plants are protected on DNR properties. Enjoy
the flowers and your visit.
White WHITE
Snow Trillium
This smallest of trilliums is
usually one of the first to
bloom. It is often found on steep,
wooded slopes when snow still
covers the ground.
Harbinger of Spring
Also known as “salt and pepper,”
this flower blooms every year from
an energy-rich bulb. It is one
of the earliest bloomers and is
found in the shelter of logs or beech
leaves.
Sharp-lobed Hepatica
“Hepatica” is Latin for liver. The
three-lobed leaves of this common
species resemble the human liver.
The flowers are white, pink or
purple.
Bloodroot
The bright red juice seeping from the
root when it is broken gives this plant
its name. It is found in rich, woodland
soil. The root is poisonous, but was
used in small amounts by Native
Americans for medicines and dyes.
Cut-leaved Toothwort
This member of the mustard
family, found in rich woodlands,
has four whitish petals that may
turn pinkish with age. The name
comes from the tooth-shaped
edges of the leaves.
Rue-Anemone
This delicate plant has six to 10
petal-like sepals. The anemone is
sometimes called “the windflower”
because its weak stem causes it to
shake easily in even the slightest breeze.
Twin Leaf
The characteristic cleft leaf, the
origin of the plant’s common name,
is sometimes confused with the
leaf of bloodroot. The plant is found
on moist, woodland slopes.
Dutchman’s Breeches
The flower resembles a pair of
“breeches” hanging upside down. It
has fern-like leaves and is found in
rich soil in open woods.
Squirrel Corn
The flowers of squirrel corn are
more heart-shaped and lack the
spreading “legs” of Dutchman’s
breeches. The leaves are finer
and tend to be grayer. The root
tubers resemble kernels of corn
and may be carried off by squirrels.
Drooping Trillium
The flower of this trillium is us-
ually hanging beneath the leaves.
Look for this species on moist,
woodland slopes.
Mayapple
The flower of the mayapple
has six to nine waxy petals
and grows beneath the large,
deeply lobed leaves. When
mayapples first appear in early
May, they look like
small umbrellas.
Plaintain-leaved Pussytoes
One of the earliest bloomers in open
fields and dry woodlands, the
fuzzy flowers look like pussy
willow. The basal leaves are
woolly and silver-colored.
Spring Beauty
This early spring flower has white
to pink or pink-striped petals, which
turn toward sunshine and close up at
night and during cloudy weather.
Shooting Star
Shooting star is found in patches on
dry, upland sites and in open woods
and meadows. The flowers range in
color from white to pink.
Green GREEN
Jack-in-the-Pulpit
This flower earned its name
from its resemblance to a
preacher giving a sermon
from a roofed pulpit. Found
in wooded areas, jack-in-the-
pulpit often has only one deeply
divided leaf.
BROWN (MAROON)
Brown (Maroon)
Wild Ginger
The common name comes
from the ginger-like smell of the
root. The rich brown or maroon
flower is cup-shaped and rather
fleshy, and is often concealed
on the ground under the heart-
shaped leaves.
Yellow YELLOW
Trout Lily
This member of the lily family is
sometimes called yellow fawn-
lily because of its spotted
leaves. Many flowerless
leaves are seen on hillsides;
it may take several years
for the plant to store enough
energy to produce a flower. A white species
(E.albidum) also exists.
Large-Flowered Bellwort
An arching stem and delicate,
drooping flowers give this plant
a wilted appearance. It occurs on
rich, moist slopes, and may grow
to 20 inches tall.
Golden Ragwort
This plant with a tiny daisy-like
flower has heart-shaped basal
leaves and long, feathery leaves
on the upper stem.